One of the biggest revelations for the basketball class and district assignment release on Friday was that boys and girls teams from that same schools may not be in corresponding districts or even the same class anymore.
Seven SWMO schools have their boys and girls in different classes this season.
CLICK HERE TO SEE ALL OF THE AREA’S TEAMS THAT MOVED UP OR DOWN IN CLASS
The reason for the change is because the membership voted for it, according to MSHSAA Communications Director Jason West.
“The membership voted to view the boys and girls separately after seeing how it worked during COVID issues. There were separate tournaments as boys played on one night and girls played on a different night. With the championship factor moving schools to different classifications, I am sure played in votes as well,” West said.
The championship factor West alludes to is the multiplier private schools are subject to based on success in winning district titles, advancing to final fours and winning state championships. Many private schools already had their girls and boys programs untethered from each other like Greenwood and Springfield Catholic locally.
CLICK HERE TO SEE SCHOOLS SUBJECT TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP FACTOR
So, how does Glendale end up with a Class 6 girls basketball team and Class 5 boys basketball team? There were more Class 6 boys basketball schools than Class 6 girls schools when it broke down. There are eight districts of eight in Classes 5 & 6. When looking at championship factor programs and schools overall that play basketball, the Glendale girls were just inside the top 64 and the boys were just outside the top 64.
CLICK HERE TO SEE ALL OF THE AREA’S CLASS AND DISTRICT ASSIGNMENTS
As for host sites of the district tournaments, they may be at the same site for both boys and girls as they have been in the past, but it will be up to each district to decide where each boys and girls district will be independently of each other. They could host championships the same night or on different nights. All of the district tournament decisions will be up to the schools within each district.
“The proposal that was voted on called for the boys and girls tournaments to be separate,” West said. “The district may still select to have both tournaments at the same site. The schools within the district still select the tournament site(s).”
